Tag-Archive for » climate change «

<i wish i could figure out how to subscript the “2″ & “(g)” in CO2(g) in this wordpress application … my apologies to the chemists who may be perturbed by the incorrect notations throughout my posts!>

first of all, what exactly is CO2 gas capture and storage? … well, that’s a good question! … and how is the CO2 captured in the first place?

CO2 gas is a by-product (as well as a reactant and resource) of innumerable chemical processes — biological, geological, and cosmic … however, the rate at which CO2 gas increases in Earth’s atmosphere, as well as the cyclic patterns of fluctuating CO2 gas concentrations relative to other atmospheric gases, have both changed dramatically since the onset of the industrial revolution …

increasing atmospheric CO2 levels affect (but don’t determine) climate and weather patterns … hence, CO2 is considered a “greenhouse gas”, which contributes to the current global warming trends we are witnessing …more…

human creativity knows no bounds … i think archaic and modern technology are impressive reflections of our ability to solve problems, adapt to our environment, and model new tools based on observations of nature … modifying and finding novel applications for existing technologies is equally august …

thorstein veblen (1857 – 1929), US economist & social philosopher, said “necessity is the mother of all invention” … for the past few decades, necessity has put technological solutions to climate change at the forefront of industry research, political agendas, and media attention …

however, technology is not a (let alone the) solution to climate change … more…

so let’s consider what it means if we understand that climate change is real … it means we have to appreciate what we already have, be satisfied with having our needs met every day, and re-think our pressing desires to consistently indulge in ‘extras’ … because once you begin the cycle of wanting more all the time, it becomes difficult to separate needs from wants … more…

you can define the term ‘climate change’ in 2 ways … one way is to take the 2 words at face value and claim that ‘climate change’ simply means that the Earth’s climate is not static –- that it is in constant flux … this is an uncomplicated (and rather meaningless) observation, as anyone can easily realize that unpredictability in weather is a rule rather than an anomaly … more…

Earth Hour— what an exciting event to partake in! … think of it — 1 billion people worldwide are expected to participate in this event this year … 1 billion! … will you be one of them? … 1 hour of darkness … that’s a small favour to ask in light of the abundant supply of electricity most of us enjoy every minute of every day … more…